1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector terminal including a hollow sheath portion to be inserted into a terminal space formed in a housing of an electric connector, and an elastic contact piece positioned in the sheath portion to make mechanical and electrical contact with a male terminal of an opponent electric terminal when the male terminal is inserted into the sheath portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known a female connector terminal to be inserted into a terminal space formed in a connector housing to make mechanical and electrical contact with a male terminal of an opponent connector when the male terminal is inserted into the terminal space.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an example of such a female connector terminal, suggested in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2001-52791.
A female terminal 1000 illustrated in FIG. 15 includes a sheath portion 1001 and an elastic contact plate 1005 housed in the sheath portion 1001. The sheath portion 1001 is formed at a front edge 1003 aligning with an opening edge 1002 thereof with a stepped portion 1004. The elastic contact plate 1005 is formed at a front edge thereof with an engagement portion 1006 to be engaged with the stepped portion 1004.
In the female terminal 1000 illustrated in FIG. 15, when a male terminal (not illustrated) is inserted into the sheath portion 1001 through the opening thereof, the elastic contact plate 1005 does not move in a direction in which the male terminal is inserted into the sheath portion 1001, and hence, ear pieces 1007 formed at the elastic contact plate 1005 do not make intensive abutment with peripheral inner edges of windows 1009 formed at sidewalls 1008 of the sheath portion 1001. Thus, the elastic reaction of the elastic contact plate 1005 is not interfered with the male terminal in the female terminal 1000, and accordingly, it is not necessary to insert the male terminal into the sheath portion 1001 with an intensive force.
FIG. 16 is a perspective view of another example of the above-mentioned female connector terminal, suggested in Japanese Utility Model Publication H4 (1992)-8623.
A female terminal 1100 illustrated in FIG. 16 includes a sheath portion 1101 to receive a male terminal (not illustrated) therein, and an elongate flat spring 1102 housed in the sheath portion 1101. The flat spring 1102 is formed at opposite side edges thereof with outwardly projecting ear pieces 1103. By causing the ear pieces 1103 to be engaged to grooves 1104 formed at sidewalls of the sheath portion 1104, the flat spring 1102 is fixed in the sheath portion 1101.
The sheath portion 1101 is formed at sidewalls thereof with stepped portions 1105 in alignment with lower edges of the grooves 1104. Accordingly, the stepped portions 1105 support the ear pieces 1103 of the flat spring 1102, and the ear pieces 1103 are further supported on the lower edges of the grooves 1104 to thereby be located in a designed position.
The female terminal 1000 illustrated in FIG. 15 is accompanied with a problem that since the engagement portion 1006 formed at a front edge of the elastic contact plate 1005 is engaged only to the stepped portion 1004, the elastic contact plate 1005 may float up at the front edge thereof from a desired position.
If the male terminal is inserted into the sheath portion 1101 while the elastic contact plate 1005 is floating up at the front edge thereof, the male terminal makes contact with and pushes the front edge, resulting in that it is afraid that the elastic contact plate 1005 may be bent or damaged by the male terminal.
In the female terminal 1100 illustrated in FIG. 16, since the stepped portions 1105 are formed in alignment with the lower edges of the grooves 1104, the flat spring 1102 may be displaced at a front edge thereof to a level of the grooves 1104. Thus, if the flat spring 1102 is displaced at a front edge thereof to a level of the grooves 1104, the male terminal inserted into the sheath portion 1101 makes contact with and pushes the front edge of the flat spring 1102, resulting in that it is afraid that the flat spring 1102 may be bent or damaged by the male terminal.
As mentioned above, the conventional female terminals 1000 and 1100 are accompanied with a problem that when the male terminal is inserted into the sheath portion 1001 or 1101, it is possible that the male terminal may bend or damage the contact plate 1005 or the flat spring 1102 with the result of failure in electrical contact between the female and male terminals.